"Too long have Americans toiled under the hoof of foreign ham powers! No longer dependent on other nations for artisan cured ham, America is finally ready to assume its rightful place." And so, La Quercia has declared it Ham Independence Week between June 28 and July 4.

La Quercia's own Herb Eckhouse will be travelling across the country on his Ham Independence Tour, making several stops and feeding everyone prosciutto. Check out the map for participating retailers who will be offering prosciutto sales, special tasting events, cured meat classes, and just ham worship in general.

The Brunch Master

What's in it? The elements of the best Eggs Benedict of your life:

Tamworth Country Cured Bacon (1 pound)

Speck Americano (6 ounce)

Iowa White Lardo Spread (7 ounce)

Throw Down Your Ham Limerick to Win!

To enter to win: Craft a ham-inspired limerick. The best limerick, as determined by the Serious Eats staff, will win. Submit yours as a comment on this entry until 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, June 24, 2012. Life, liberty, and the proscuitto of happiness!